


The Polar Bear

by alexcat



Series: AllBingo - Winter Fest [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, F/M, Presents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:00:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28462062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alexcat/pseuds/alexcat
Summary: Natasha leaves something for Steve.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Natasha Romanov
Series: AllBingo - Winter Fest [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2084733
Kudos: 34
Collections: Allbingo





	The Polar Bear

**Author's Note:**

> Allbingo - Opening Presents

Natasha wanted to give Steve something special. He had been there for her since they’d met on the helicarrier. He had been her friend for a long time and he’d secretly loved her for a long time as well. She knew that. It was hard not to with all the nights spent in his bed and his arms, something that perhaps only Sam had known. 

She only had one thing that she’d had her whole life. 

When she’d been taken to the Red Room as a small girl, they had allowed her to keep something from her past. Because she was so small, she’d been allowed to keep a small plush polar bear. She had no idea who gave it to her. She didn’t even know who her parents were. But she did keep it, even when they tried to take it away, she found it and hid it. 

She’d gone back after SHIELD and found it in the hiding place she’d put it in. Or what was left of it. It had no stuffing left and most of the fur was worn away, but it was still indentifiable as a bear. Her bear. She tucked it her pack and after she finished up with other business, she’d hunted Steve and Sam and joined them. 

It was during this time that she and Steve had become lovers. She found out that she was his first. She’d been more touched than she’d ever told him and realized that of all the men she’d known, she loved him the most, as both friend and lover. 

Tony had finished with the time machine and they were ready to retrieve the stones. She placed the little bear in a box with a note. She called Pepper Stark and made arrangements. Pepper agreed. 

*

A few days after the funeral, Pepper called Steve. 

“I have something for you.”

He was curious as to what it could be, but he figured it might have been something Tony had kept from his father’s WWII stuff. He drove to the little house by the lake. 

Pepper invited him in. After some small talk and tea, she suddenly got serious. 

“Natasha came to see me just before you went to gather the stones. She gave me this box and told me when everything was done, to give it to you. I am doing that now.” She handed him a box, wrapped in Christmas paper with a beautiful red bow on it. “I’ll leave you alone.” She got up and went to check on Morgan. 

He untied the bow and opened it. Tears stung his eyes already. She wasn’t the first woman he’d loved, but she was the one he’d loved the most. He never told her how much he loved her. 

Inside the box lay her ragged little polar bear. 

And a note. 

He picked it up and read it. 

_  
This is the only thing that I ever owned that was all mine. It was my anchor until I met you. You need to know that I loved you from the first. I could never tell you that in person. I hope you knew._

_Let me go, Steve, and find a life out there._

_If there is anything after, I’ll see you there._

He held the little bear up to his face. It still smelled like her.

**Author's Note:**

> My [**Tumblr**](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/alexcat45).


End file.
